A tree planted in honor of a Mineola resident killed in Vietnam is in the process of being replaced. Currently, the plaque that bears the dedication exists near the Sept. 11 memorial. However, the tree that was planted there nearly 11 years ago was taken down last month because it was damaged.

The tree was dedicated on Veterans Day 1991 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and village to the memory of Thomas M. Motto, who was killed in action on July 3, 1969 in Vietnam. Motto earned the Bronze Star medal for meritorious service.

The tree, a Bradford Pear, was damaged during a windstorm, according to village superintendent of public works Tom Rini. The village will plant the same tree in the same location. The planting should be done by Veterans Day, Nov. 11, this year.

On that day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Private Adolph Block 1305 and the American Legion Post 349 as well as the Village of Mineola plan on holding a special dedication ceremony in Memorial Park, where the veteran's monument will be rededicated at 11 a.m.

Village of Mineola workers removed two sugar maple trees on Marcellus Road near the front of the library last week. The trees apparently had gotten old and the village wanted to remove them before they became a safety hazard.